Aerospace and military applications often provide unique challenges to design and manufacturing. The nature of these applications often requires limited run and small-lot productions that result in high cost because of the small quantity of individualized assemblies. Part cost can be extremely expensive due to the cost of tooling and long lead-time associated with developing and fabricating the tooling. By way of example, aerospace environmental control system ducts are commonly laid up using fiberglass lay-up techniques. Reliable and durable tooling is necessitated for this manufacturing technique. When multiple aircraft designs are implemented, then multiple specialized tools and lay-up procedures are also required. This quickly generates negative cost implications on part manufacturing.
Direct manufacturing has the ability to open the doors for short lead time, too-less manufacturing of aerospace components. Existing applications, however, are frequently limited due to practical and existing size constraints on the build chamber or pool. The usable size on the build chambers commonly limits their application to relatively small-sized parts. Additionally, multi-part elements may require individual builds using direct manufacturing and thereby generate undue cost increases. The present invention seeks a unique methodology of harnessing the direct build methodology while overcoming limitations generated by the limited build chamber sizing. In addition, the present invention seeks a method for producing oversized direct manufacture elements while minimizing the required number of full height builds.
What is needed is a method for manufacturing oversized components within a reduced size build chamber. Additionally, it would be highly desirable to have a method manufacturing such components with a single build run. If such a system were developed it would eliminate the costs associated with specialized tooling, long lead time development, and large inventory.